Another year, another page in the books of metal. 2016 proved to be an interesting year and in my eyes I think one spectrum of the metal universe got more attention this year than usual which of course is a very good thing if you’re me. Continue reading “Fernando’s Top 13 Albums of 2016”
Another year, another turning point, another chapter in metal has passed. Something that’s always intrigued are music videos so it’s time to take a look at my pick for the Top 13 Music Videos of 2016. Continue reading “Top Ten Tuesday – My Top 13 Music Videos of 2016”
The moon is full and the spell has been cast, the Moonbathers have arrived and it’s time to experience the full effects of Delain’s latest album. Within seconds, the magic ensnares those who are exposed and once you fall into the arms of the album you’ll never want to leave. Continue reading “Album Review: Delain – Moonbathers”
We are just after the halfway point into 2016 and there have been metal releases from all corners and regions of the world. Some eh, so so albums to some great impactful and memorable releases, let’s take a look down my top ten list of albums released this year thus far. Continue reading “My Mid-Year Top 10 of 2016”
2009 saw Delain tell the masses to be weary of when fortune is on your side with April Rain. 2012, Delain released a power anthem that was dedicated to the metal community in We Are The Others. Continue reading “Delain – Lunar Prelude EP”
Sheesh. Another year gone and it’s already 2016. That can only mean one thing right now: who is going to release a killer album this year? It feels as if metal bands are outdoing themselves with each album release. Of course with a new album, that means more tours and festival appearances too but let’s focus on who will be releasing a new album this year that I am looking forward to. While there were a few bands that unfortunately did not release an album in 2015, I hope 2016 marks the year those artists release an album, if not an EP at least.
Devildriver – It’s been about 3 years now since the release of their last album, Winter Kills. To be honest, I’ve fallen off the bandwagon with these guys and lately have been looking to get back on with Devildriver. This will be the first album without staple members, John Boecklin and Jeff Kendrick, so this will be an interesting album with some fresh blood. Titled, Trust No One, the album is set for release in May.
Fleshgod Apocalypse – The fourth album from the extreme symphonic metallers, titled, King, the album looks to be even more devastating 
than any of their releases. The group claims that this album has a more mature encounter as well as being a concept album. More classical influences will be featured and if you are not familiar with the Italian quintet, you are missing out on some powerful musicianship.
Lacuna Coil – The last I heard from the group, they lost two of their longtime members. Currently, the group is a quintet, recruiting their drum tech, Ryan Folden, as a full-time member. On a more positive note, lead singer, Cristina Scabbia promises that they will incorporate more growls. Going back to their roots seems like something that many bands do, especially now that the group has been around for nearly twenty years. This should be an interesting release.
X Japan – Their first album in nearly 20 years, the group played a reunion show in 2014. Having a well established base in their native Japan, 
the group also has a satisfying presence in the states. Already having released a single late last year, not much else has been mentioned in regards to the new album, which is scheduled for a March 11 release.
Babymetal – Everyone’s favorite cute girls are back! Their debut and only album currently was such a masterpiece, I am extremely eager to see if they will be able to top themselves with their next album, conveniently due April 1st. No singles, no teasers, nothing else has been released or hinted. This album might set records for the metal industry.
Rammstein – The German industrial metallers announced that they would be touring in 2016. Though that is the case, it doesn’t necessarily entail that the group would be releasing an album. But of course most bands tour on an album, but if you now Rammstein, you know that they don’t need to tour on a new album. But hey, you never know.
Dimmu Borgir – 2010 marked the last year we received an album from these Black metal greats. While certain members have been tending to side projects, the group stated that they like to take their time when writing an album that they can appreciate and stand behind. This new album was tentatively originally scheduled to be released late last year and although members, Mustis, Vortex and Hellhammer are long gone, I feel this should be their most interesting album. Let’s see how well the main trio do with a smaller foundation.
Delain – The world of Delain has been nonstop for a while now and their journey continues next month in February with the release of their their next EP titled, Lunar Prelude. Their last album was very atmospheric and dark so I am hoping that this album follows in a similar notion with some unpredictable surprises. No singles or leaks released yet!
Aside from the aforementioned artists, there are also other artists that currently have material in production that you should look out for. While the year has just begun and only a handful of artists have announced possible albums, there is still a whole year ahead of us so who knows, maybe your favorite band might be releasing something later in the year hopefully. Here is but a small list of the artists that may or may not release an album this year: (Stay Metal m/)
What an explosive night it was for heavy metal. Three of the bigger metal acts from overseas came to the midwest last weekend to wreak havoc upon the metal community. Nightwish, Sabaton and Delain all are currently touring North America in support of Nightwish and their latest album, Endless Forms Most Beautiful. The venue that hosted the prestigious night was The Concord Music Hall in Chicago. Initially when I saw they were coming to town, I had to jump on the opportunity to go. VIP tickets were pretty hefty but that didn’t deter me from attending a once in a lifetime opportunity of a show, especially when the only three bands each headline shows of their own overseas and abroad. Another great thing about that night was the extremely friendly crowd that turned up for that night. No moshing at all, people are here to see the bands and not miss out on the amazing stage presence and action going up in front. This is another reason why I love bands from overseas, because the fans are loyal and genuine and are there to actually enjoy the talent, not get shitfaced, buy overpriced beer and then get cause a scene that just ruins the night. No, they are here for metal show, hell to quote Sabaton mainman, Joakim Brodén, “We get this overwhelming welcome from Chicago, people are enjoying the music and having a fucking blast, man that’s real heavy metal to me right there.” I could not agree more with that statement.
The night begun with Dutch Symphonic act, Delain. They had no problem kicking off the night in high energy, really getting the crowd pumped for the night. Usually most people are just arriving when the opening band starts and are getting settled in for the rest of the night but that wasn’t the case. The venue was already packed by the time Delain hit the stage. Their unfortunate short setlist begun with their heavy and epic track, Mother Machine. Their lights were amazingly well in sync with the music, I was like, Holy Shit this is gonna be better than the last time I saw them live! The crowd was headbanging along with lead singer, 
Charlotte Wessels, as her energy was plentiful throughout the night. It appeared as bassist, Otto Schimmelpenninck, was also in full swing and charisma after a little rupture incident at a show in Birmingham at the end of last year caused him to visit the emergency room. Glad he was back ready to take on the crowd. The setlist though pretty much revolved on modern Delain, inputting tracks from their latest album, The Human Contradiction and prior to that album, We Are The Others. The remainder of the setlist included, Get the Devil Out of Me, Army of Dolls, Stardust, Electricity, Not Enough, and We Are The Others, to close out their epic night. 
A surprisingly quick stage change and the underestimated second act of the night, Sabaton would 
take the stage and the massive masses that night. After an electrifying entrance, the night kicked off with a track I found astounding, Ghost Division. I’ll admit, I was only a casual listener of the group, really only knowing a few of their singles hits, shame on me yes I know. The track got me headbanging with the rest of the band doing the same and lead man Joakim Brodén, putting forth lots of energy and getting the crowd pumped. I can’t remember the last time the lead person of a group got me so pumped and energized as him. My philosophy is, if the band puts forth a lot of energy live, I will do the same, it’s the least us fans can give, well and money.
The band stated that many of their tracks deal with War and events in history so I was pretty much expecting a lot of energy throughout the night, as that was the case. A song that really struck a chord with me was the track, Carolus Rex. From their sixth album, the track has a somewhat of an all for one, battle anthem to it, with gang vocals really putting power in the chorus. On another note, if it wasn’t for our grandfathers who put their lives on the line for us in WWII, this half of the world would probably be speaking German right now. A moment of respect was shown to our veterans and was celebrated with their anthemic track, Uprising. The remainder of Sabaton’s setlist was an extremely well rounded one, encompassing tracks from throughout the band’s own history. The other tracks included: To Hell and Back, Soldier of 3 Armies, Resist and Bite, Swedish Pagans, Night Witches, Primo Victoria, and Metal Crüe. I had completely underestimated the presence, energy and might that is Sabaton, the power of seeing them live has driven me to listen to them more often, boy the magic of what concerts can do to you! 
The main headliners of the night of course, Nightwish were ready to take the stage and make the fanboys and fangirls go apeshit crazy. Their stage set-up was pretty huge with a lot more lights and fog machines to create eerie effects. The addition of trees and nature was an intriguing plus, really creating that natural feel on the stage. After a suspenseful intro, the night kicked off with a track from their latest album, track titled, Shudder Before The Beautiful. Lots of stage effects, lights, headbanging and more the track was a wise one to feature as their explosive opener. The crowd already was going nuts and though the album has been out for almost a month now, the fans chanted the lyrics as if they had known the song for years, 
talk about how hardcore these fans can get. Immediately transitioning into the next track from the new album as well, Yours Is An Empty Hope really let Floor Jansen unleash her inner fury. Her headbanging surely got the crowd riled up, this is a perfect track to get everyone excited. They eventually go back in time for several tracks such as Amaranth, She Is My Sin and also Ever Dream, which dates back to 2002.
Of course in support of their latest album, Endless Forms Most Beautiful, the majority of the songs from that night were from that album. Other hits included Storytime, I Want My Tears Back, Ghost Love Score, and even go further back in time with the epic tracks, Stargazers and Sleeping Sun. Floor actually pushed the band to get Stargazers on the setlist and try and be a more played track on their setlists from now on, boy was that a surprise to hear that track. Though no vocalist could match the skills of Tarja, Floor did an astounding job of using her own operatic vocals for this one. 
There was a moment though where I thought I was going to shed a tear when they started playing their intimate track, The Islander. Of course though Nightwish played an encore that was quite long. They ended the long and eventful night with The Greatest Show On Earth. The track is quite the journey as it plays for a hefty amount of time, it’s not everyday you hear or experience a track of that stature and length. Other tracks that were played included: Endless Forms Most Beautiful, My Walden, Élan, and Weak Fantasy.
I already have a list of shows I am planning on attending within the next few months and so far, I don’t think any of these shows are going to stack up and compete with this one. I am more than 50% certain this will be the show of the year for me. Each act played a killer set of tracks that really kept the audience energetic and wild. I wish that night never ended but of course this is real life and all good things must come to an end at some point. If you ever get the chance, I truly advise you to check out these bands at some point through their career. This tour will most likely never happen again! Their live presence is one to be matched and you’ll not only fall in love with them, but the immersive atmosphere that they put on with a niche crowd is dynamic and well-spirited. A HUGE thank you to all the bands as well as the labels and everyone who helped coordinate this massive tour.
What an EXPLOSIVE year for metal it was. My goodness there were amazing releases from every genre this year, this was too sick of a year for metal. Some of my favorite big name metal artists released phenomenal material in addition to being introduced to some amazing unknown and emerging talent worldwide. All the lists this year are rich in energy, passion and are just metal to the core dude. While ten is a well rounded but overused number, let go with the lucky 13 and list my 13 favorite albums of the year. Save the best list for last right? As I was writing this my body almost took a hit from the overwhelming metal I’ve been trying to place on this list. I’m surprised I wasn’t rushed to the ER for an overdose on metal! In all seriousness though, this list was the hardest thing I have had to do in my life as a writer, screw school thats for wimps, this is where it’s at. As I look back over the year, which flew by fast by the way, 2014 was a remarkable year, one I won’t forget and not only were these albums explosive in tenacity but the memorable concerts that come through town were an experience to behold and the interviews that I had the pleasure to conduct were a worthwhile experience and honor. This is just too metal man. Let’s take a look at album number 13 and make our way down to my number one album, the list may surprise you.
Insomnium – Shadows Of The Dying Sun: Coming in and starting the list with lucky number 13 is Insomnium. The pure essence of melodeath that they bring on Shadows Of The Dying Sun is eargasmic with melodic solos and harsh raspy vocals. The album is not technical at all which sometimes can make the strongest of impacts. The album also comes with fresh blood in the form of a new member which I think made this album better. From aggression to speed, doom and darkness this album brings their best elements together as one entitiy.
[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DjmQXtZUx4[/tube]
Liv Kristine – Vervain: The Queen of Goth metal herself, Liv Kristine comes in at number 12 with her fifth solo album,
Vervain. Already establishing her name and presence among the metal scene for many years now, the album gives us her best qualities of musicianship in a variety of ways. Her harmonious vocals pivot this album in an interesting direction as well as her darker side appearing at many moments. The album is a balance of dark and light with darkness being the original matter that started it all. I enjoyed the lyrical content of many of the tracks, check this one out.
Lyriel – Skin & Bones: Though they’ve had a few albums out already in their native Germany, Lyriel made it onto my list at number 11. Their Folk metal sound is what initially drove me to listen to them more. I became a fan of their as of this year, where have they been all these years they’ve been in existence? Well that shows they are truly underground and though that is the case, they have the talent to become mainstream abroad. In regards to the album, it is catchy, melodic, memorable, bold and wondrous. It is truly hard to get their songs out of my mind, congrats to them for making it on my list with these other competitive names.
[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmAwV41NufE[/tube]
Diabulus In Musica – Argia: This is one of the most intense metal acts from the Latin/Hispanic 
community. Coming in at number 10, from Spain, Diabulus In Musica do a mesmerizing job of showcasing their Symphonic side as well as their heavy and intense Thrashy side in their album, Argia. With lots of double bass, female vocals as well as evil male vocals, they bring the listener to another realm full of epic atmospheres. Many of their songs are for the headbangers so if you haven’t yet, go check these guys and gal out!
[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzPESD5GGig[/tube]
Deathstars – The Perfect Cult: Aside from wearing paint and bringing a large presence, their album, The Perfect Cult pushes their genre and continues to prove why they are one of the leaders of the Goth metal scene right now. The songs are impactful, bold and send eye-opening messages that many can relate to. Another memorable album to go down, once you hit the Play button, it will be hard to turn off the metal. Each track is fresh and original and very dark with hints of eerieness latched on. Pump those metal fists.
Within Temptation – Hydra: This is the biggest turn around for me out of all the albums I’ve ever 
heard. This album was released in January and never made it onto my mid-year list and it is on the list now. Why, do you ask? Did I forget? No I didn’t, in fact it was the power of seeing them live that made me want to go back and listen to the album again. After seeing them live, I was invigorated to the power this album has. I couldn’t believe it wasn’t on my list before. It is heavy, it’s Symphonic, it’s morals have deep meaning and as the legend says the Hydra emblazons many heads with it’s own personality. Just like this album, each track did not sound like another and came to the listener in a totally new way. Originality at it’s finest.
[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAiV8RpqzME[/tube]
Amaranthe – Massive Addictive: Coincidently, they were in town over the Fall with the previous artist on this list. Amaranthe’s third album, Massive Addictive, is perfectly described as so….addictive. This album is also their most electronically oriented album, giving their sound new regions and areas to expand upon. The catchy tracks are hard to evade one’s mind, I went the longest time listening to this album after it was intitially released. I do not want to get sick of this talented album and group so I refrain from listening to them as much as possible for fear of wearing out their music. I can get sick of anything if I’m around it too much, trust me. Nonetheless, this album is bold and energetic, not to mention the groups lyrical content is inspiring and uplifiting.
[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6PYAkXO-bU[/tube]
Delain – The Human Contradiction: Another artist to have tenacious lyrics, Delain come in at number 
6 with their album, The Human Contradiction. Released waaay back in April, it is no surprise the album has remained in my top list for the end of the year. Most of the tracks on thsi album, I found myself indulging in them immediately while a song here and there, I listened to a few more times before giving in, but overall the album is outstanding. We can all learn some things from their lyrics and open our eyes and minds a little more thanks to them. It is melodic, it is symphonic, the composition of The Human Contradiction is superb. While the album is not technical whatsoever, they make their own impact efficiently and have gained my attention ever since. The album is also heavy in many ways, don’t underestimate what you see till you hear it.
Epica – The Quantum Enigma: This was no shocker the album would be on my list. I picked this album up in stores the day it came out and also listened to it almost everyday since its release. Being the most symphonic oriented band on this list, that doesn’t compromise the cataclysmic heaviness that the group can muster. The Quantum Enigma is a creative gem that makes me feel like I’m in another realm when I listen to this album. Theres insance double bass, lots of thrash and heaviness, there’s shred, keyboard atmospheres that are wondrous, it’s an album that is for that select audience that is lucky to embrace it. Check it out.
Edguy – Space Police: Defenders Of The Crown: Power Metal at it’s finest. Speed and Melody 
power the senses in a Euphoric way. The musicianship hits me intimately and emotionally and vocals raise the adrenaline through the roof. This is one of their best albums, if not their best of all time. The lasting impact this album gives me is beyond words and the talented diversity is powerful. Edguy continue to defend their own crown as well!
[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5TfvbePk_w[/tube]
DragonForce – Maximum Overload: Coming in at number 3, speed and power metal kings, DragonForce unleash their most diverse, dynamic and strongest album to date and that may be an understatement. While the speed and force they summon is legend to their name, the album has harmonic aspects that took me by surprise. Each track has addictive and eargamsic components that are hard to escape one’s mind. From the energetic ‘The Game’ to their cover of Johnny Cash’s “Ring Of Fire”, each track made it’s own impact on me, one that I could not get enough of. If you’ve never listened to them or have fallen out of touch with them, now would be the time to get back on the fast lane with speed metallers, DragonForce.
[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIa5XsIKrJA[/tube]
Arch Enemy – War Eternal: Coming in at number two, Swedish Melodeath pioneers, Arch Enemy 
drop in with their legendary album, War Eternal. The album comes with pinnacles of melody, sheer aggression and doom and gloom atmospheres. Punch the dashboard why don’t you? Certainly. One of the few albums to bring out the metal monster in me lately, the journey this album brings will bring you to your knees and wreak havoc and scare those around you. The lyrics on this album are also supercharging and I think can relate to many metalheads, I certainly found myself clenching my fists and getting adrenaline rushes throughout the album. Arch Enemy, Pure F*cking Metal.
[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y-J7sBT_no[/tube]
Eluveitie – Origins: Who would have thought this would be my number one album of the year? At the time when this album came out, I knew I would fall in love with it but didn’t think it would be my number one album. While the previous album on this list is ravage and wild, this album also brings wild to the table but also bring Folk elements and deeply connecting lyrical content as well. Most of the tracks on this album are intense and heavy, as well as others being rich in Folk instrumentals. There is lots of variety on this album and new blood as well. Also to mention, they were amazing live so that only adds to the strength of the album as a whole. The perfect blend of female vocals and harsh male vocals also give this album the perfect score it deserves as well as ranked as number one in my list. Perfection.
[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AawUSC6hGY[/tube]
Again, this was one of the best years for metal and aside from great albums this year, there have been many other news in the metal world that surely made this one of the most eventful years for us in a while. Some other worthy mentions this year include Behemoth, Babymetal, Avatar, Gus G, Work Of Art, Enviktas, Holy Shire, Xandria, Van Canto and the awesome compilation, We Are Louder Than You 2.0, in which many young emerging artists from around the world input into an album that supports the fight against bullying everywhere. My other top categories include:
Top Interview of the year: Exo from Noctem
Top Live Show of the year: Within Temptation/Amaranthe
2015 looks to be another promising year for us metalheads and while a few artists promised us new material in 2014 and didn’t deliver, I know 2015 will be their year to shine. Are there any albums you’re looking forward to this year? Let us know and get them exposed!
Here’s to another metal year, salutes my metal friends. Happy New Year. Stay Metal m/
Hours before the show I had the opportunistic and wonderful opportunity to interview in-person, Charlotte Wessels of Dutch Symphonic metal band, Delain. The interview took place hours before their show at Mojoes. We met up and walked to the pleasant coffee shop around the corner and sat in their outdoor cafe area. The weather was perfect for any outdoor occasion, too bad the show wasn’t outdoors. With outdoors though you get unpleasant sounds and background noise so my recorder was able to capture other outside noice like car engines and birds haha. Charlotte is a wonderful person, very friendly, she was talking to me about their experiences in Europe and how the metal scene over there is noticeably different than the metal scene here in the states. Also, I really was intrigued and will never forget the fact that she mentioned that in European venues theres showers, private bathrooms, artists get catered food many times, theres places to sleep and more, as opposed to here in the states where their budget is limited and many of these venues are not as hospitable as they’d like. I was very surprised and greatful to hear that snippet of news, as well as her favorite drinks and other things she likes to do while touring the states. Also, I was excited to hear about the major tour they are doing next year here in the states, with one of the band’s they’ve wanted to tour with! Being a major fan, I took every bit of information largely and was almost disappointed to hear how many musicians are still struggling to make ends meet, as told in this interview. You can tell in my tone of voice at one point how disappointed I was in the fact that the industry isn’t performing to its proper potential. Luckily Charlotte’s intelligent and kind words of wisdom made this day and experience all the more awesome. Stay Metal m/
[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cU3z3G5_ao[/tube]
You know that feeling you get when you like most, if not ALL of a concert lineup, and then of course you need to go. This lineup is a first for me in two ways. For one, I have never seen any of the bands live before, and two, this is the first time I have liked the entire lineup of any show I’ve been to, so this definitely was a must. I had been waiting for this show all Summer, and the day finally came. I had arrived to Mojoes around 2PM. The place is really nice, looked remodeled compared to the last time I was there. There is some street parking, but being a major city, usually that is limited, so I resorted to parking at the garage across the street, for a cheap price. I had the honorable privilege to get to interview Ms. Charlotte Wessels, of Delain, in-person. That interview will be posted on this site this week, for now lets focus on the concert portion of the day. Doors were to open around 6PM, and upon arrival to the venue only three people were in line so far. They were actually traveling and following Sonata Arctica, their last 3 shows from Pennsylvania to Ohio and the previous stop. I had spoken to one of the guys and he had seen Sonata Arctica, well over 30 times. Now that is a bit obsessive, talk about a hardcore fan. The remainder of the time, I had met a girl from Poland, she was in town visiting family and coincidently, she made plans to attend this show as well. She spoke to me about her love for Sonata, as the fans call them by, and how she has met a few bands when she was in Europe. The best time in the line was when I met two older people, Fred Peres and Mary Fallen. They were really approachable, and just happy to be at the show. We spent the last hour of wait time speaking about what band’s we’ve seen, who we’d like to meet, what we do for work, who we were there to see, and other bands we think we would enjoy. Luckily I made friends with them and now keep in contact with them, such great people to have met. I’m sure we will meet at future shows now. At this point, I do not have a professional camera and my phone quality pictures aren’t the best.
Once sound-set up was completed, they started letting people in, VIP first of course, then general admission. Once we went in, we grabbed a spot right near the stage, center and front. It did not take long before the lights faded out, the suspenseful entrance music kicked off, and all eyes were on the stage, awaiting the presence of the first act, Xandria. They had an immediate great sense of stage presence, and they kicked things off with the first single, Nightfall, which comes to us from their newest album they were supporting, Sacrificum. A powerhouse of a track, in terms of their Opera and Symphonic style, the track was a crowd pleaser to kick things off. The next song, another well known song, came to us from the album, Neverworld’s End. The track, Blood on my Hands, also got the crowd waving their metal fists, the guys next to me were going nuts, that’s for sure. A rather touching performance, that almost made me shed a tear came from the next song, Forevermore. Lead singer, Dianne van Giersbergen, knocked it out of the metal ballpark with her performance on this track. I could feel the emotion the song emitted just from her, by the end if the track, I was breathtaken, she had shown off a more intimate side of herself, I have never seen at any other show before. The lyrics alone, tell you how powerful this track is, I hope this remains as one of their staple tracks at shows. I still get goosebumps thinking about that performance. The next two tracks, both came fromt their newest album too. Stardust was another Symphonic gem to put on the set-list, it’s darkness really makes this track a special one. Dreamkeeper, is another track that also got to me, live. Listening to it at home is one thing, seeing it performed live is something else. I was so stoked to hear her announce they were playing that track, a large smile formed on my face. The track is vivid and honestly, was my favorite performance of the night. Such emotion, oh, Dianne, how you have stole my heart now. Every time I hear that track, I think of that night. Lastly, their most famous track, was the closer. Valentine, without a doubt, got the crowd jumping, waving the horns in cultlike unison, headbanging and more. A great closer, it would have been a shocker if they hadn’t played the song that night.
[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kheRpWtf2w[/tube]
It was now time for the act of the night I was looking forward to, Delain. The stage crew and roadies did a pretty rapid job of doing a set change, it wasn’t long at all before another set of entrance music and lights fading took the set. All eyes once more were on the stage again and Delain appeared, kicking things off with the first song, Go Away. A superb way to start the set, this is one of the heavier and faster-paced tracks the group has overall. The next track got me once more raising my horns and singing along. Get The Devil Out of Me, I absolutely went nuts. Army of Dolls, was the next one, this track came in support of their newest album, The Human Contradiction. A darker, more sinister track overall, its one of my favorites of the album. The first single off this album, was also the next track. Stardust, got the crowd wild again, though its not one of their more metal tracks, it’s still good nonetheless. I went crazy too when they went straight into the next track, Electricity. It’s a heavier track, lots of edge, hence the name of the track. Some symphonic beauty was heading our way when they announced the track, Sleepwalkers Dream. The track comes from their debut album, Lucidity, and was one I could tell not everyone was familiar with. These are those tracks that separate the fans, as to who actually knows the track. It’s slower, yes but epic, majestic and magical best describes the track. My metal side came out once more with the next two tracks. April Rain, has that groovy edge to it, but at the same time has that melodic spark that makes this track catchy, and exquisite. Perhaps the wildest song of their list came next. The Gathering, got the crowd wild again, everyone seemed to know the lyrics, everything about this track brought out the energy of the audience. I still remember jumping up and down with the rest of Mojoes. Pristine, surprised me that it was on the setlist. It is a really heavy track, comes at you with bursts of double bass, male growls, and more. Once the track was done, the announcement of their final track arrived and I, along with Mojoes were bummed about it, which made the final track a lot more special. We Are The Others, is the group’s anthem call, their lyrics are phenomenal, send out a message that everyone should be aware of. I let out all my energy in this track, I sung along, I had my horns, I gave everything I had. I was very sad they had to leave, but of course they had dozen’s of other stops to hit up.
[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXQ-muwO7SA[/tube]
The final act of the night were soon to arrive, and after a little longer set-change, and some epic, entrance music, Sonata Arctica, took the stage. and the crowd went nuts. Do they have a cult following? Haha, soon enough things kicked off with one of my favorites, The Wolves Die Young. I was bouncing, as most of the crowd was singing along. I am not too good at remembering lyrics, but nonetheless the track set the right mood to kick off the night for Sonata. They had played a pretty long set-list that lasted well over an hour and a half, so I will cut to the chase on my favorite performances and tracks. My Land, is melodically marvelous. The harmonious aspect of the track, I favor a lot. Power Metal at its finest. Cloud Factory, as cheesy as the lyrics are, it seemed as the crowd loved the track nonetheless. I wasn’t too familiar with it, so I had a good opportunity to look around and see how their fanbase reacts live. I swear the guy next to me, knew every lyric, I think to every song too that night. A little more touching setting came by, as the track, In The Dark, played to the masses. Minutes later, I went baserk once again, with one of my favorite tracks of the night played. Flag In the Ground, got me headbanging, the guys in front of me almost wanted to start a pit, but they didn’t, hey cmon now, we are here to enjoy the music and pay attention to the talent on stage. If that wasn’t enough to set me off, I Have a Right, made me chant with them lyrically. The track, I relate to in some ways, I really connected with the band, I waved my metal fists along the music, this is one of those tracks that describes parts of your life. I was so glad to hear that track, I felt like I could get out some emotion that brief moment. What night woudln’t be fully complete without en encore? Sonata ended the night with some of their staple tracks. My favorite of the encore tracks, was Wolf & Raven. Perfect to start a pit, and perfect to let loose and headbang, the track got everyone in the house wild. Now this is what I call a powerhouse metal crowd. I was thinking to myself, How could they NOT play this track? An eargasmic melodic track titled, Don’t Say A Word, ended the night. I was hoping that would not be the end track, but after the track was over, and they did not return to the stage, sad to say the night was over. I waved my horns and fists once more alongside the crowd, and after a bow from Tony and the rest of Sonata Arctica, my night of metal was fulfilled.
[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGOFIl7H694[/tube]
Overall, one of the better nights of the year. A smaller, more intense crowd was present that night. Every single band did a great job of keeping the crowd pumped up, all the song choices were perfect. I could not have picked a better set-list for all of the band’s that played that night. By the end of the night I walked over to the merch booth, took me home a Xandria and Delain shirt. That’s not to say Sonata wasn’t bad, I just didn’t have enough money haha. I will definitely, without a doubt look for the return of all these band’s. One of the best night’s of the year, come and gone. Stay Metal m/
The Metal Alchemy 